Farmscape for May 5, 2023
| Full Interview 6:56 | Listen  |
The General Manager of Swine Innovation Porc says the pork sector’s planned next swine cluster research program will focus on pork sector sustainability, competitiveness, productivity and resiliency. Swine Innovation Porc, the national organization for research in the pork sector, submitted its application to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in January for funding for 19 projects being proposed under Swine Cluster-4. SIP General Manager Daniel Ramage says that application is now under review and the process is expected to be completed by late spring or early summer.
Clip-Daniel Ramage-Swine Innovation Porc:
We’ve seen some structural changes to the agriscience program and so there’s a greater emphasis than ever on climate change and environment. That’s driven by government policy but I think it’s also in response to changing consumer trends and changing global realities where there’s greater recognition of the importance of sustainability in agriculture and in the Canadian pork sector as well.
That’s become a much stronger focus for us in terms of the Canadian pork cluster but also in terms of responding to that government programing. Beyond climate change and environment, we’re also keenly focussed on continuing to develop projects that will enhance economic competitiveness and productivity and then beyond that into projects that will support our resiliency as a sector.
So, things that can, for example, help us address foreign animal diseases, improve biosecurity.
These are things that are really critical. So, when you look at the cluster as a package, it really is cohesive across those three areas from climate change to economic growth to resiliency for the sector.
Ramage notes an independent analysis of the economic impact of previous swine cluster programs showed pork sector investments in research resulted in a three and a half percent increase in productivity and demonstrates investments in research pay strong dividends for producers and for the Canadian economy.
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